Slicing machine



Aug. 13, 1935- w..1. CAMPBELL 2,010,944

SLICING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1934 3 Sheets-me?I l Aug 13, 1935. w. J,CAMPBELL 2,010,944

SLICING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i z'f/ E@ E9 WWE/3Apg. 13, 1935. w, J. CAMPBELL 2,010,944

' sLIcING MACHINE Filed Maron 2. 1954 :5 sheets-sheet 3 c cf @MvmbPatented Aug. 13,1 1935l ors-ICE .s LIcINo. MACHINE- A WilliamJ.C'ampbell Indianapolis, -I nd.,- assignor to American Slicing MachineCompany cago,fIll.`, a corporation ofNewXork Application March 2, 1934,seriarNoxvrz-igcsi l eciams'. (ci. 14e-102)`v My invention relates to animprovement in `slicin'gmachines and has for one purpose the provisionofimproved `means for protecting the cutting edge of thefknifewhen thedeviceV is not in use. 1 Another' purpose is the provision of meanseiective tosupportthe work, duringthe cutting foperation,lat a pointclosely adjacent thelcutting plane.lr VOther objectswill appear fromtime t'o i urezl; v

\ structure shown in Figure 7; `Figure 9 is a section on the line \9f-9of:Fig

rFigure 5 is a similar sectionwith the partsin a.' `different position;i Y

i Figure 6 is a section on the line 6 6 ofFig- .i Figure 7 is a partialplan-view similar to Figure l'2 of Va variant form of the' device;`

Figure 8 is a view similarto Figure l -offthe ure f7;r Y 1 yFigure 10 isa partial sectiorrthrough `a variant Like parts are indicated by 'likesymbols throughout the specification 'and drawings.

.1- Referring to the drawings; A indicates any suitable base upon whichmaybe mounted a motoreAl which is adapted' to' drive, through a driv'-ing connection not hereinslhown,` any suitable rotaryknifeA2.

'B' indicates a guard plate forltheforward face ofthe knife',` fhereinshown as penetrating a for-i ward hollow in the knife', the. knife" axisbeing `somewhat ,tilted in order to permit" penetration. .v

i"c is any suitable gauge plate, `inflounird 10H11- ample, on a supportC1 `ass'ociatedfvvith guidesC2 what away'f'romthecutung planebrthekrnfe-J It willbefobserved thatthe forward edgeof the member vE3lis kprovided with an undercut portion or recess'E. Slidable said recessis th`e`fm`a`rginal work supporting"memberfE6,which may be providedfwithfa plurality of inclined edgd 4upwardly extending work engagingYblades E75 Es indicates a guiding-'bracket mounted on 'the bote tomofthe member Exf'ia'nd effective to guidea `pin `E9`secured tothegme'mberES. Theapertfufre in the member E8` adjacent the worksupporting' member Efor guiding the pin E9 is preferably o fcorresponding diameter,- whereas the opposite aperture-may be elongated,as illustrated in Figiure '6; topermit free-lateral movement ftlie pins"and to prevent binding' due to `irregular movement of the Vpins andassociated parts, many of these brackets and guidesas -areinecesis'aryVmay be employed lutdnjFigures 1 an'dl2f1 i illustrate two. `Emisacoilspring; V'aboutleacli such `pin E9 and E11` isjan abutment"fr fsaidspring'. E12 is a movement` 'limiting washer yand E13fare a lock nut ornuts. It will'be understood, as from'Fi'gures 4 and 5, that the springE10 tends normally to thrustthe member E6 intothefforwardypositioniinwhich it is'shown in Figure, its movement beinglimited by 'the washer' 'E12, which may be adjusted by rotation ofthenuts E13. Wherithe gaugeplateC is`moved into align-v ment'with` the`cutting planein order to mask the cutting edge of the knife A2, itmaythrust the member Eslagainst the compression spring E19 into theposition in-whichit is shown in Fig` ure "4. Thus the userjwhen "thegaugepla'te is in 'slic`e gauging position, has `a work supportWhich-niay" be 'adjusted closely to the' cutting plane -off the knife.Therefore the work is sup-'- portedfat its'extr'eme forward edge and anytendency to -'sag down'is prevented. 'This 'isfi`m'` portant-fV asit-.preventsfthe formation of f tailsf or''the 'fringing out of -theVwork where the user is cutting' abody of relatively soft material, suchas ham, roast beef, or the like. It also limitsthe frictional contact'between the Work andthe gauge plate and knife which is caused `bythedragging i of.` an `unsupport'ed body of meatagairiist gauge platep orVknife. ":Thisfreduction of the frictional contact reducesgreatly anytendency to .lard theknife or gauge .plate. In cutting fat meat, such asham or bacon,'ar'1y increasein the fric'tional drag of the materialtendsvery quickly to cause 'a fringing out or flowingout of the fats.:Hence-Lan adequate support f of thework Vas'close as'possibleftotheaplaneis of great importance; I ,1 obtain i this lsupport- .while l at the same .i time permitting the gauge plate to bemoved into neutral or edge masking position when the device is not inuse. This is of great importance, in as much as the cutting edge isexceedingly sharp.

In Figures '7, 8 and 9, I illustrate a variant mechanism for obtainingthe same result. In this form in the place of the fixed work support E3,I provide a movable or yieldingly mounted work support G, which isprovided, for example, with a plurality of securing pins G1 surroundedby springs G3, which normally tend to hold thev support G fixed inposition on the carriage E. G3 are abutment washers for the pins G1 andare controlled by nuts G4, whereby compression of the springs G2 may becontrolled. G5 are any suitable abutment washers which may, if desired,be of fiber or hard rubber, in order to eliminate noise or friction.mounted on bosses G3 extending upwardly from the carriage E.

H indicates a work supporting member which underlies the forward edge ofthe support G. lIt will be noted that the edge of the support G isoutback somewhat'from the cutting plane as will be clear from Figures 7or 9. The member H is mounted on pins H1 which are guided in anysuitable guiding'bosses or sleeves H2 associated .with the carriage E.-H3 are springs tending normally to thrust the member H forwardly intothe position in which lit is shown in Figure 9.

This movement maybe adjustably limited as by the nuts H4 which may beadjusted on the member H. It will be observed that the member H has anupper Yinclinedv face H5, the upper edge of which lies substantially inthe plane of the top surface of the member G. It may, however, beslightly lower or slightly higher. The member H, with its upper face H5,serves the same function as the member E3 with its projections Elr asearlier'described. When the gauge plate C is in gauging position, asinFigure 9, the spring IH3 presses the member H forward into worksupporting position closely adjacent the cutting edge ofthe knife; Itmay, of course, be adjusted closely to the cutting edge by rotation ofthe Ynuts H4, which correspond to the adjusting nuts E13 of Figure 5.When the gauge plate is moved into knife maskingposition, the positionin which it is shown in dotted lines in Figure 9, then the member'H isthrust rearwardly against the compression of the springs H3. Thisrearward movement -lifts or-tilts the yieldingly mounted work support Ginto the dotted line position in which it is shown in Figure 9. In orderto prevent slipping of large slabs of bacon or salt pork while beingsliced, the worksupport member H may be provided with an upwardlyprojecting Vlug or finger H7, which may be integral withthe member H ormay be a separate member secured thereon. The meat tray G, asillustrated in Figures 7 and 8, is cut away as at HG-to permitlongitudinal movement kof the lug H7 of the work support member H.

`It will be realized that while in my drawings I have Vshown anoperative device, still many changes may be made in size, shape,arrangement andy number of parts without departing materially from thespirit of my invention. I wish, therefore, that my showing be taken asin a large sensei diagrammatic.

In particular, I wish it to be understood that whereas IY show the mainwork support E3 or G overlying av marginal work support E6 or H, it iswithin the' scope of my invention to have the main work support spacedsomewhat away from They are herein shown as the marginal work supportand, if desired, separated therefrom by a gap. I illustrate such amodification in Figure 10 wherein K indicates the marginal support, K1,the main work support, K2, the guide or plunger for the marginalsupport, and K3, the gap above alluded to. It will also be understoodthat where as I find it desirable to employ a marginal support, I do notwish to be limited in my claims to any particular width of marginalsupport. For example, if a support is eiective at the margin of thesupporting means as a whole, namely; adjacent the cutting plane, itmaybe desirable and possible to have a relatively. narrowl support asshown at H or E3, or said support may be of very substantial widthunderlying a substantial part of the main support E3 or G.

In the use and operation of my device, it will be understood that themarginal support may extend close to or practically up to the cuttingplane, it being merely important that it does not 'contact the cuttingedge of the knife when the carriage is given its cutting stroke.However, when the carriage is at initial position and when the userwishes to discontinue use of the machine, he can move the gauge platecontrolling handle into inoperative position. This thrusts the gaugeplate so far forwardly toward and into the cutting plane of the knifethat it engages the marginal support and thrusts it back against itsyielding means until the gauge plate may be in the dotted line positionin which it is shown, for example, in Figure 9. In effect, the marginalwork support is forced back from the cutting plane in'order to make wayfor the gauge plate and to permit the gauge plateto lie inthe cuttingplane and thus mask the cutting edge of the knife. It is important thatthe movable work support, which I show as a marginal support, extendimmediately adjacent the cutting plane when the gauge plate is not inneutral posif tion, but be movable away from the cutting plane to makeroom for the gauge plate when the gauge plate is moved by the operatorinto neutral position.

The abutment H7 has for one function to compressa piece of bacon or suchmaterial between the vertical iiange of the work support or carriage andthe abutment. It is possible, for example, to compress pieces of baconthat are little wider than the distance from the abutment H7 to thevertical flange. As a practical example, I have employed a machinein'which the said space is 111A; inches but have successfully sliced onthis machine bacon 11% inches wide. The abutment also prevents the meatfrom stretching in width and prevents or reduces any tendency to formfringes on the edge of the bacon as it moves across the gauge plate andknife. In other words, the abutment carries the edge of the bacon pastthe cutting edge of the knife and this feature, with its lreduction offringing and with its compression of the forward part of the work, addsmaterially to the efficiency of the machine.

' `I claim:

l. In a slicing machine, a base, a knife mounted on said base and meansfor actuating it, a gauge plate and means for actuating it, a carriageand means for guiding it across said gauge plate and past the cuttingedge of the knife, and a marginal work support movably mounted on thecarriage adjacent the edge nearest the cutting plane, yielding meanstending normally to urge it toward the cutting plane, said marginal worksupport extending closely adjacent the cutting plane, the gauge platebeing movable into position beyond ratsam fpatandnenslfsfsctuatmgagacarriage and means for guiding it acrosffs'jidfgauge" plate andpastnutting ,wedgexofvtlieknifa and a marginalwcrlrcsnpportwmovablmounted on the carriage adjacent the edge nearestthe cutting plane, and guiding means therefor, adapted to constrain itto generally horizontal movement, yielding means tending normally tourge it toward the cutting plane, said marginal Work support extendingclosely adjacent the cutting plane, the gauge plate being movable intoposition beyond the cutting `plane in the direction of the carriage, theyielding means being of such strength as to permit the marginal worksupport to recede from the cutting plane in response to contact of thegauge plate.

3. In a slicing machine, a base, a knife mounted on said base and meansfor actuating it, a gauge plate and means for actuating it, acarriageand means for guiding it across said gauge plate and past thecutting edge of the knife, and a marginal work support movably mountedon the carriage adjacent the edge nearest the cutting plane, andyielding means tending normally to urge it toward the cutting plane, andan extended work support overlying the marginal Work support,

yieldingly mounted on the carriage, said marginal sition beyond thecutting plane in the direction of the carriage, the yielding means beingof such strength as to permit the marginal work support to recede fromthe cutting plane in response to contact of the gauge plate, themarginal work support being adapted to slide beneath the extended worksupport, the marginal work support including a portion adapted, when themarginal work support is at the limit of its movement toward the cuttingplane, to lie substantially in the plane of the upper face of theextended work support.

4. In a slicing machine, a base, a knife mounted on s aid base and meansfor actuating it, a gauge plate and means for actuating it, a carriageand means for guiding it across said gauge plate and past `the cuttingedge of the knife, and a marginal work support movably mounted on thecarriage adjacent the edge nearest the cutting plane, and yielding meanstending normally to urge it toward the cutting plane, and an extendedwork support overlying the marginal work support, and yieldingly mountedon the carriage, said marginal `worksupport being provided with anabutment member upwardly extending toa level above that of the normalwork engaging surface of the extended work support, said extended worksupport being cut away to permit the projection of said abutment member.

5. In a slicing machine, a base, a knife mounted on said base and meansfor actuating it, a gauge plate and means for moving it toward and awayfrom the cutting edge of the knife, the forward face of the gauge plate,when moved into forward position extending forwardly of the cuttingplane of the knife, a carriage and means for guiding it across saidgauge plate and past thecutting edge of the knife, and a marginal worksupport movably mounted on the carriage adjacent the edge nearest thegauge plate, said work Asupport extending normally closely adjacent the'cutting of" thefknife and? being rearwardly movable,"i n responsel'toadjustment ftheggau'ge plateinto-itsmost forward "position, by contactWitlitthelgauge"platel4 `f 6. Ina slicingmachinefa base; a'knife mounted"L on said base'and means 'for actuating it,-a gauge plate Yandmeansfor' vmoving it toward and away frornthe cutting edge' of" thefknife,the forward faceo'f thegauge plate,`when vrnovedinto forward 'positionextending forwardly of the cutting plane of Vthe knife; a-carriage andmeans forV guiding it across said gauge plate and past the cutting edgeof the knife, and a marginal work support mov-V` ably mounted. on thecarriage adjacent the edge nearest the gauge plate, said work supportextending normally closely adjacent the cutting edge of the knife andbeing rearwardly movable, in response to adjustment of the gauge plateinto its most forward position, by contact with the gauge plate, andyielding means tending normally to hold it in its forward positionadjacent the cutting plane.

'7. In a slicing machine, a base, a knife mounted on said base and meansfor actuating it, a gauge plate and means for actuating it, a carriageand means for guiding it across the gauge plate and past the cuttingedge of the knife, a marginal work support movably mounted on thecarriage adjacent the edge next the cutting plane, limit means forlimiting the movement of said work support to a point closely adjacentbut short of the cutting plane of the knife, yielding means tendingnormally to urge said work support toward the said limit, the gaugeplate actuating means being adapted to move the gauge plate across thecutting plane and into contact with the marginal work support, saidyielding means for the marginal Work support being of such strength asto permit said marginal work support to recede from the cuttingplane inresponse to movement of the gauge plate.

8. In a slicing machine, a base, a knife mounted on said base and meansfor actuating it, a gauge plate and means for actuating it, a carriageand means for guiding it across the gauge plate and past the cuttingedge of the knife, a marginal work support movably mounted on thecarriage adjacent the edge next to the cutting plane, limit means forlimiting the movement of said work support to a point closely adjacentbut short of the cutting plane of the knife, yielding means tendingnormally to urge said work support toward the vsaid'limit, the gaugeplate actuating means being adapted to move the gauge plate across theVcutting plane and into contact with the marginal work support, saidyielding means for the marginal work support being of such strength asto permit said marginal work support .to recede from the cutting planein response to movement ofthe gauge plate, and an extended work supportthe forward edge of which overlies the marginal work support, a forwardportion of the marginal work support lying in substantially the sameplane as the upper surface of the extended work support, when themarginal work support is at its closest approach to the cutting plane.

` 9. In aslicing machine, a base, a knife mounted on said base and meansfor actuating it, a gauge plate and means for actuating it, a carriageand means .for guiding it across the gauge plate and past the cuttingedgeof the knife, a marginal work support movably mounted on thecarriage adjacent the edge next the cutting plane, limit means forlimiting the movement of said work support to a point closely adjacentbut short of the,

vWork support, a forward portion of 'the marginal Work support lying insubstantially the same plane as the upper surface of the extended Worksupjport, when the marginal work support is at its closest approach tothe cutting'plane, the extended Work support being provided vwithyielding means tending normally to draw its forward edge downwardlyagainstthe opposed portion of the marginal work support.l t

WILLIAM J. oAlviPBELL.-

